Another Broken Collarbone Thread (nutrition, rest, etc)....

Hey everyone!

I'm just adding to the plethora of threads about broken clavicles, regretfully. I've never broken a bone before nor have I had an injury that caused actual down time and significant recovery (I fractured a rib mtbing a few months ago and only took two days off...so, forced immobilization may not be a bad thing for me! Ha).

I had a high impact road crash, breaking my collarbone and hitting my head, road rash on back/hip, etc. I honestly did not look at the X-Ray at Urgent Care as I was laying in an awkward position doped up on morphine in the most pain I had ever experienced.

That being said, the doctor said the ortho didn't want to do surgery that day, but it was likely it would need to be done. I'm scheduled to go in on Wednesday for a consultation.

All of my cyclist friends who have broken their collarbones say opt for the surgery; recovery time is faster and the discomfort is alleviated a bit sooner. What do ya'll think?

I can't go to work, or ride, or really do much of anything, and it's hell. I've never taken pain killers even after oral surgery because they make me feel so icky, but I've been taking mine religiously every six hours because the pain is so bad.

And as far as resting goes, should I walk around as much as possible to get the blood flowing or just stay put? I walked around a ton the day of the crash and the day after and I think I should have taken it a bit easier.

Another big question (sorry for the long post-these meds are making me loquacious ...how should I approach nutrition? I'm a totally clean, conscious eater when I'm active but I've never had this kind of injury like I said. I've already cut the carbs, I'm essentially doing full paleo, lots of protein (protein shake before bed etc). I have read you need 15-20 kcal/lb or 10-20% increase of caloric intake but is this dependent on activity level, or BMR? I'm a 21 year old female, 126lbs. It goes without saying I don't want to gain weight but I want to maximize recovery. Doesn't help I have no appetite so I'm really forcing small amounts of food.

I've broken both of mine.
Left side was a big break with a lot of displacement.
Right side was just a crack.
I'm about 5+ years out now from the big break.
No surgery for me-wasn't even suggested at that time. However, docs now say that they would have recommended a plate + screws.
Seems that 5 years ago, screws and plates weren't the go to fix that they seem to be now. Seems almost every break gets a plate now.
Been riding 4-5 days a week on average for years. 60+ days on the DH bike in the park this year and typically 40+ days a year on the DH bike in the park every summer since the break.
So far, no problems for me due to breaks and my rehab program.
Shoulder separations are worse in my experience.
No braces or slings for me with collarbones.
Lots of ROM exercises + beer + pizza + caffeine + ice cream + Netflix + riding asap was my rehab.
I was on the XC bike about a month after the breaks and DH soon after.
Got a big lump on the left shoulder and a shortened collarbone, but all is good.
On the flipside, my girlfriend completely SHATTERED her collarbone this season and had it plated. 2months of rehab and no riding for her break, but her bone was in pieces. Now she's back to yoga headstands and jogging no problem.
It's different for everyone, but getting a a plate and screws seems to be the standard fix now.

I broke my right collar bone on new years eve 2012. I broke it in 6 places, and the doc gave me the option to surgically fix, or just allow it to heal. I chose the surgery since it was broken so bad, and I'm glad I had it operated on. I now have a 5 inch scar, plate and 8 screws. They waited like 7 or 8 days to do my surgery as well, which I thought was weird.

It's really up to you how you recover, when I'm broken, I just like to rest. When I broke my collar bone, I also broke my left hand in the same crash, and that required 2 pins. So needless to say, I was rather worthless for a while. I have also broken numerous other bones, so I know now that I like to chill and watch tv, and play with Legos, and puzzles, when I'm injured.

Diet? I don't know, eat what you want I guess. haha

Stay hydrated with all the meds and possible surgery, that stuff will constipate people bad. I had surgery on my collar bone, the next day I had it on my hand, and I was pumped full of oxycodone, and I neglected my hydration. I never get constipated, but all that mixed together made me form an "impaction". The impaction is by far the most pain I have ever been in, and I've broken 7+ bones.

Funny you mention diet- I developed a nerve disorder after ankle surgery this summer, and stopped giving a d@mn about my diet. Costco cookies and whiskey for a few weeks was it. I feel gross just thinking about it!

Motorider- I think they wait 7-10 days before doing surgery to let the swelling go down.

I just broke my plated clavicle this week. So second time at the end of the plate and inclusion of the last screw by putting my hand out in a lame slow crash.

Now have 2 plates one superior and one anterior . Great fun, wife wants to sell bikes, and wants to know what other sports I might be interested in - I said motor racing! That shut her up.

Did you break through the plate? Or did you break your clavicle at the end of your plate? My Clavicle was my least painful broken bone I've had, but I assume that hurt pretty good! Also, I would love to see your x-ray with all that metal, if you have one! lol

Did you break through the plate? Or did you break your clavicle at the end of your plate? My Clavicle was my least painful broken bone I've had, but I assume that hurt pretty good! Also, I would love to see your x-ray with all that metal, if you have one! lol

No, at the end of the plate, given the last screw is now removed, I am guessing the new fracture went through the last screw hole. I have broken quite a few bones and neither of my clavicles have been minor in the pain dept. It seems to early depend on how much seperation there is.

Now have 2 plates one superior and one anterior . Great fun, wife wants to sell bikes, and wants to know what other sports I might be interested in - I said motor racing! That shut her up.

Ha! Well played. Motos are fun but you need deeper pockets and have more exposure to injury for sure.

I telescoped my clavicle 2 years ago, and although the orthopod said it'd eventually heal without surgery, he recommended surgery to preserve proper shoulder alignment and optimal shoulder mobility.

Prior to surgery, I couldn't really get my collar bone in a comfy position, and even if i found a good position, it would shift out of place as soon as I would move or take a step (even with the sling).

Surgeon said I'd feel great after surgery (re-aligning bones and plating), but warned not to ride or do any heavy lifting/etc for 12 weeks to prevent the screws from ripping out and allow any new bone formation the time needed to become solid. That 12 weeks of waiting was the hardest part.

He also recommended getting the plate removed eventually (like in 6 months), but i put that on the back burner because it felt great. But about a year after surgery, the skin over the edge of the plate closest to my sternum started to get sore, and a few months after that, it became so sensitive that even my shirts were irritating.

Turns out that I should have followed surgeon's advice and had the plate removed, because it eroded a small hole in the skin. Luckily, the hole was fresh and the hardware was not infected, or else it would have required pretty extensive debridement / etc. As it was, the surgeon removed all the hardware, trimmed away the eroded skin, and sutured it up easily.

My $0.02 to OP: get it plated if the surgeon recommends it, follow his/her advice to prevent the hardware from ripping out afterwards, and don't delay removing the hardware if recommended.

As far as nutrition, my surgeons never addressed that (but that's not their focus). Not a bad idea to increase your protein intake as well as calcium and vitamin D supplents (which you should be taking anyway to prevent osteopenia/osteoporosis; i'm an MD btw, and the period for women to make "deposits" in their bodies' calcium "savings account" is before menopause, because after menopause your body will be making daily calcium "withdrawals" from your bones, causing them to become thin and brittle; 1000-1500 mg of calcium citrate which is absorbed by gut better than calcium carbonate and 800 IU of Vitamin D daily are typical prevention recommendations; start or continue resistance exercise like weight lifting/etc, and add at least moderate impact exercise to your routine, which may not be joint friendly as you age, but are necessary for developing healthy bones now).